RCHC Community Project Abstracts

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Pertussis Outbreak in Union County
Date of project: 9/10/2007

Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by the bacteria Bordetella Pertussis. Classic symptoms include bursts of coughing followed by a large inspiratory effort, cyanosis, apnea, and post-tussive vomiting. complications of the disease are most common in children less than one year old and include pneumonia, encephalopathy, pneumothorax, and seizures. Due to waning immunity from childhood vaccines, adolescents and adults, who experience milder symptoms, often transmit the disease to younger and more susceptible people. While I was completing my rural rotation in LaGrange, OR, Union County was battling its first pertussis outbreak in recent history. I used the pertussis outbreak in Union county learn about the community-wide management of communicable diseases. In addition to doing an extensive literature review, I interviewed personnel from the Union County Center for Human Development (CHD) who were intimately involved in management of the outbreak. I then summarized the results and offered suggestions for improvement. I also developed a condensed handout to which physicians can easily refer when they encounter potential pertussis cases in their offices.

Increasing High School Student Awareness of Health Careers in Union County
Date of project: 3/19/2007

Although 20% of Americans live in rural areas, only 9% of the nation’s physicians practice there. Studies have shown that medical students raised in medically underserved areas tend to set up practice in such areas. Unfortunately, students from rural areas lack exposure to health care careers and practice opportunities. The purpose of this project was to develop and implement a rural outreach curriculum to help increase high school student awareness of health careers. The project goals were accomplished by visiting several high schools in Union County to give an interactive lecture designed to inspire students to enter the field of medicine. The project also included development of a student handout regarding age-specific OHSU and AHEC sponsored career exploration summer programs, available preceptorships, and available funding for high school students interested in a health career. The goal of the project is to reinforce the OHSU mission of attracting Oregonians to the School of Medicine and ultimately supplying all of Oregon with sufficient numbers of qualified health care professionals.

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